The field of human development has recently gained considerable importance globally. This results in shifting the contemporary educational discourse, one that moves ECED closer to the front of policy formation. Literature shows that developed nations are investing enormous resources into their early intervention programs, hence, during the last decade international aid agencies, and some education systems, have promoted the creation and expansion of ECED programs in developing nations too. With the innovations in ECED, there has been conducted a large number of researches to form an objective theoretical foundation (Penn, 2004) to support this advancement.
Following passage presents the literature review on the status of qualitative research in the field of ECED. The reviewed articles were published in 3 international journals, Early Years, Early Education and Development and Early Childhood Education Journal during 2005-2010. The first two journals are published by Rutledge and the last one is published by Springer.
The starting point for the literature review was library data base of IED, which permitted access to full text articles. Large no of qualitative studies were found in each journal however, for the present review, only 25 of them were selected on the basis of different research traditions within qualitative paradigm. 15 of them are reviewed for the present task and bibliography of the remaining articles is attached with this paper. The review of the selected research articles is presented in the perspective of trend seen in the topic addressed, methodology used and other critical findings.
Present review of literature reveals that during year 2005- 2010 a variety of topics related to ECED have been addressed in the qualitative research paradigm. For the purpose of this review the topics are divided into different themes based on their focus.
Stakeholders’ perceptions of early childhood setting are explored in various
Bibliography: Baum, A.C., & King, M. A. (2006). Creating a climate of Self-Awareness in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Progams Cassidy, D. J., Hestenes, L.L., Hansen, J.K., Hedge, A., Shim, J., & Hesetenes,S.(2005) Revisiting the Two Faces of Child Care Quality: Structure and Process Hatcher, B., & Squibb, B.( 2010). Going Outside in Winter: a Qualitative Study of Preschool Dressing Routine. Early Childhood Education Journal, DOI 10.1007/s 10643-010-0415-z Lanigan, J.D. (2010). Family Child Care Providers’ Perspectives Regarding Effective Professional Development and Their Role in the Child Care System: Purnell, P.G., Ali, P., Begum, N & Carter, M.(2007). Windows, Bridges and Mirrors: Building Culturally Responsive Early Childhood Classrooms through the integration of Literacy and Rentzou, K. & Ziganitidou, K. (2009). Greek male early childhood educators: self and societal perceptions towards their chosen profession Shields, P. (2009). ‘School doesn’t feel as much of a partnership’: parents’ perceptions of their children’s transition from nursery school to Reception class Trimis, E & Sava, A. (2009). Artistic learning in Relation to Young Children’s Chorotopose: An In-Depth Approach to Early Childhood Visual Culture Education Walsh, B..A. & Petty, K. (2007). Frequency of Six Early Childhood Education Approaches: A 10- Year Content Analysis of Early Childhood Education Journal Lanigan, J.D. (2010). Family Child Care Providers’ Perspectives Regarding Effective Professional Development and Their Role in the Child Care System: